Many thanks to all my readers, and special thanks to my reviewers…

Evenstar Elanor… Sorry, I don't think you'll get scurvy knave… sounds too English/pirate to me. Thanks for the note on the space… it was supposed to be "to ze."

Angoliel… I think Glorfindel will be very happy when I'm done with this fic…

Sweet A.K… Smart girl not to count Luc out yet.
Mercury Gray… Yep, the lack of space kind of took away from Porthos' comment didn't it? Oh well.

Utsuri… Read on to see what Athos and Luc will do…!

Chapter 24: Friendship and Forgiveness

The silence between the two men was long and deep, with all the hidden and dangerous currents of the fathomless ocean. Around them, more silence fell as the gathered crowd hushed. By the fountain, Natalie grabbed Christine's hands for reassurance. Oh, Papa! Do not send him away again. I don't think I can survive that. I love him!

"Athos, you are my oldest friend and I deeply regret the bad blood that has passed between us these past months," said Aramis. "It has caused me much pain, and I know that I have wounded you deeply. That was never my intent. Never. Please believe that."

Athos said nothing as he took a step towards Aramis, but there was no menace to it. Aramis looked towards Natalie again, and Athos looked as well. His mouth tightened into a thin line when he saw the way Aramis still looked at his daughter. The thought of any man being intimate with Natalie disturbed him, but to have his oldest friend be that man? Athos felt his insides clench with uncertainty.

Aramis looked back at Athos. "I cannot explain it. I am an old man, but whenever I am with her, my heart beats again the way it did as a young man. I feel alive; I feel young again. Athos, I swear to you that I never dishonored Natalie. I was impulsive, yes; I am guilty of that, but I love her. I love her. I was going ask you the next morning if you would grant me the honor of making Natalie my wife. Please believe me, Athos; I would never do anything to harm her. Forgive me for any offence I have delivered on you…" Aramis folded his hands in supplication before Athos and lowered his head, waiting to hear what Athos would decide.

Athos looked from one of his oldest friends up to where his daughter stood by the fountain. She was a woman now but she still seemed so young to him. Natalie looked so much like her mother; it made the breath catch in his throat. Natalie's face was alight. Clearly, she'd heard Aramis say that he loved her. In that moment, he realized that his daughter was truly in love with Aramis.

During all of this, Luc had remained on his knees, burning with humiliation and seething with anger. Defeated and broken, he wasn't worth anyone's attention. Not when the drama between Aramis and Athos was still unfolding.

Aramis has destroyed everything. Everything! He has humiliated me, besmirched my honor. My father will turn me out. I will be cut off from the court. And there he stands, begging Athos for forgiveness and professing his love for that woman… that wench. His angry eyes shifted to Natalie. And she had the gall to refuse me before the court. Well, she will have no happy ending; I will see to that! While he and Aramis fought, neither had used their main gauche. In front of him, his vulnerable back exposed, Aramis remained silent with his head bowed.

In the matter of an instant, Luc leaped to his feet and lunged forward with the speed of a leopard, main gauche drawn for a killing blow to Aramis' exposed back. Even as the horrified crowd began to react, Athos was ahead of them. Aramis' eyes opened wide when he heard Athos draw his rapier and his head snapped up. His old friend and compatriot made a perfect lunge forward. To those watching, it may have seemed that Athos was intent on piercing Aramis through the heart.

Aramis, however, did not move. He didn't even flinch; his trust of Athos was that deep and that complete. Athos' blade skimmed over Aramis' shoulder and buried itself in Luc D'Avignon's chest. Luc staggered back, shocked, as a blossom of blood unfurled upon his chest, staining his white shirt crimson. The main gauche fell from his hand and stabbed nothing more than the soft earth of the garden.

"You would murder a man in cold blood? Stab him in the back?" thundered Athos. "You would take the life of a fellow Musketeer? You would murder my friend? Die in the dirt, Luc D'Avignon; you have no honor." Luc staggered back and sank to the ground, his hand vainly trying to stem the flow of blood.

Athos put his hand on Aramis' shoulder, and Aramis returned the gesture. "Forgive me, my friend. Forgive me," said Aramis softly.

Athos pulled him into a brotherly embrace and whispered into Aramis' ear. "It is I who needs forgiveness, Aramis. You have been my friend for more years than I can remember, and I treated you like a dog."

"Treatment you thought I deserved. You were protecting your daughter. There is nothing to forgive, my friend…"

"My daughter…" said Athos slowly. That was the crux of this whole tangled affair. "My Natalie. If you truly love my daughter… truly love her… then ask her, my friend. Ask her with my blessing." Athos' voice was still soft. Aramis pushed back and looked Athos squarely in the eye to be certain he'd heard clearly. Athos gave him a nod and a small smile, and then stepped back.

Aramis turned and looked at Natalie. Standing next to Christine, she hadn't moved. Her eyes were still wide and the fingers of one hand covered her mouth. Aramis walked up to Natalie, slowly, deliberately, and formally went to one knee. Taking Natalie's hand, Aramis kissed it gracefully, with restrained passion, for all eyes were upon them.

To the side, the King tried to conceal his smile as he watched the scene. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Athos, Porthos, and D'Artagnan. The latter two were smiling, looks of pride and affection gracing their features. Athos wore an expression of resigned confusion, but a light smile touched the very corners of his mouth, and his eyes were soft, holding none of the anger that they had harbored these past weeks.

After he kissed her hand, Aramis said, "Natalie, it is true I've known you since you were a child. And as the years went by you blossomed into a lovely young woman. I believe I slowly became smitten with you and never even realized it, but when I saw you those months ago at your father's manor… In the moment I laid eyes upon you that day, I felt the lance of Cupid's arrow through my heart more keenly than any Musketeer's rapier. I knew what it was like to have my heart drawn up to Heaven upon the wings of angels. At that moment I was lost: I have truly loved no one before this and I will love no one again save for you. To your eyes, Natalie, I am an old man, but I will love you forever. Grant me the honor of becoming my wife."

Natalie's eyes flew to her father and the illumination in her face had not diminished at all. With the sad smile of a father who knows he has lost his sole claim on his daughter's heart, Athos gave a tiny nod. Aramis, his eyes shut as he waited for Natalie's answer, did not see the momentary exchange between father and daughter.

In the silence, his fears ran amok. Have I waited too long? Does she not love me? Does she see only an old Musketeer? A failed priest? Does she find the thought of lying in a marriage bed with an old man appalling? Then, Natalie's soft voice cut his thoughts short, and banished the darkness from his soul.

"Yes, yes, and yes again, Aramis! Yes, I will marry you!" Aramis rose to his feet and Natalie threw her arms around him.

Stepping out from where he'd been watching, King Louis began to applaud. "This is most wonderful," he said. "You shall be married here at Versailles and I shall host the ball and reception for you…" Then he looked over at Athos. "However, those are my wishes, but Natalie is not my daughter. Athos, I would be honored to host this marvelous fete, but I will do so only if that is what you wish for your daughter."

Athos watched Aramis pick Natalie up by the waist and spin her around once before settling her gently on the ground. She laughed out loud and turned in his arms and looked at her father. She was beaming and the joy in her face was matched by only one thing – the expression Aramis wore.

Athos was vanquished. "Sire, if it makes my Natalie happy, then I wish it."

Well, what do you think? I'm not quite done yet… couple more chapters to go.

Disclaimer: The only things I can truly claim as my own are Natalie, Jacques, and Luc (and a few minor supporting characters). Everything else is borrowed with much respect and admiration for Dumas and the people who created various movie versions of the Musketeers.